Leadership Resources

Leadership Resources

Sometimes less is more. Sometimes the work has already been done for you. Drawing from her three decades as a professional educator, Nancy Hunter Denney shares her thoughts, suggestions and advice on a variety of leadership education and skill development.

OPTION TWO: Audience under 50 people.

This format is used best when providing leadership development for a more intimate group. The participants stay together for the entire conference, and in the same room, however – the presenters alternate as the topics change. It is difficult for one educator to “carry” a room for six hours, therefore, mixing up the styles and personalities of presenters is recommended – but, not necessary.

Trying to Decide How to Sequence Your Education and Training Efforts?

There is considerable research in recent years validating the layering approach to leadership education where you build upon fundamental skills and allow for individual progression across levels.

Below are examples of the kinds of programs and themes possible across a three-level approach. The levels include the following and are explained in detail with corresponding programming topics as suggestions:

Foundations First

Taking it Higher

Beyond the Self to the Common Good

Foundations First

Program outlines identified under “Foundations First” are generally intended to be for participants who are new to leadership development and have had relatively few opportunities to assume leadership positions or receive any previous training. These topics also “insert” well into leadership series, courses and one-shot training efforts.

The topics in this category are fundamental tools for all leaders and it is recommended that participants receive exposure to most of the topics in this category to ensure a solid foundation for additional skill building and leadership education.

Change: You Want Me to Do What? Change Implementation Strategies

Communication Skills: It’s Not What you Say, But How You Say It

Communication Skills: Listen Up or Lead Down!

Creativity: Step One is to Consider Yourself Creative!

Goal Setting: Increasing the Odds of Achievement: How to Establish and Implement Goals

Greek Life: P.R. is Everything You Do: Public Relations for the Greek Lead

Greek Life: Recruiting Future Chapter Leaders

Group Work: Making the Group: Strategies for Effectively Working in Groups

Leadership: Zing! Your Life and Leadership: The Opportunity

Leadership: Zing! Your Life and Leadership: The Obligation

Motivation: Are You Fit to Lead? Self-Energizing Strategies for Student Leaders

Promotion and Publicity: Is a Program Successful if No One Comes?

Recruitment and Retention: We Want More! Recruitment and Retention for Student Leaders

Stress Management: The Mess of Stress

Team Building: Beyond a Team of One… How to Play Well with Others!

Time Management and Organizational Skills: The Art of Organization and Doing It All

Taking it Higher

Taking it Higher program outlines represent leadership skills or concepts that are best learned and appreciated because participants can identify with their own life experiences or recognize the value and relevancy to their own lives. Participants might also possess previous leadership involvements or work experience where many of the fundamental skills sets and concepts have already been acquired – or, they have participated in earlier leadership development of a related topic. These topics are also best suited for a higher level of maturity and intellectual development.

Change: Chaos or Constructive Change? How to Deal Effectively with Officer and Organizational Transition

Public Speaking: Say IT with Style and Substance: Public Speaking and Presentation Skills

Relationship Building: Building Relationships that Work!

Self-Esteem: The Mirror Has Two Faces: How to Build Your Self-Esteem

Team Building: Staff Synergy: To Be or Not to Be?

Beyond Self to the Common Good

The outcome of any leadership education effort is to make the world a better place, to use one’s aptitudes to demonstrate their gratitude and to serve the common good. Leadership programming designed to develop skills and perspectives of the world also needs to be intentional in articulating a vision of “common good.” Programs in this category move the participant from their own direct skill development to that of reaching and serving others. It is recommended these programs are towards the end of a series or build upon previous levels.